Cape wins, and it´s not even close
By MIKE LOWE, Staff Writer
YORK — Tom Foden´s feet are adorned with a pair of Nikes that have a swoosh curve and gold trimming.
Sometimes it appears that they´re winged as well.
Foden, the senior halfback at Cape Elizabeth High, was all but untouchable Friday night, scoring four touchdowns to lead the Capers to a convincing -- and surprisingly easy -- 41-12 victory over York.
Foden, who rushed for 130 yards, scored on a 58-yard punt return, runs of 15 and 42 yards, and on an 8-yard pass from Ezra Wolfinger.
"If there´s a better player in the state, I want to know who he is," said Aaron Filieo, coach of the Capers.
Foden had plenty of help. Wolfinger threw for three touchdowns and 188 yards -- completing 10-of-11 passes in the second half. And wide receiver Finn Melanson caught seven passes for 114 yards, including a Play of the Day, leaping for a 12-yard touchdown catch in which he dragged his toes in bounds on the sidelines.
"This was our chance to show that we´re a good team," said Foden, who scored Cape´s first four touchdowns.
Foden set the tone with his 58-yard punt return, then helped Cape to a 21-0 lead in the second quarter, only to have the Wildcats claw back. They scored twice in a span of 1:07 -- a 1-yard run by Jared Prugar, then a 31-yard pass from Chris Cole to Prugar following a Cape fumble on the kickoff -- to pull within 21-12 at the half.
But Cape Elizabeth took the second-half kickoff and drove 64 yards in nine plays, capped by Wolfinger´s 8-yard screen pass to Foden, who ran untouched down the left sideline to make it 27-12.
"We had faced some adversity in that second quarter," said Foden. "We set the tone with that drive and showed we were going to keep the lead, that we weren´t going to lose."
Filieo agreed. "I like the way we came back," he said. "That´s an extremely good team we beat. I thought if we could get up early on them they might fold, but they didn´t.
"And we had to take a deep breath at halftime and come out and set the tone."
The Capers also had to overcome some injuries, losing two offensive linemen and their fullback during the game. Even Filieo didn´t get out unscathed, suffering a gash on his head from a head bump with one of his players.
After Wolfinger´s touchdown pass to Melanson, York had one final drive, moving to the Cape 31 early in the fourth quarter. But Foden broke up a fourth- down pass for Prugar (a bright spot with 71 yards rushing and another 64 receiving) and the victory was secured.
"This was a big win for us because it showed we´re not soft," said Melanson. "York is sort of a mini-rival for us and we like playing each other."
York Coach Randy Small knew exactly what went wrong.
"It was my fault," he said. "I take full responsibility. We weren´t ready to play.
"But give their kids credit. They came to play and they took it to us. They´re a good team, a very good team."
Staff Writer Mike Lowe can be contacted at 791-6422 or at:
mlowe@pressherald.com
Copyright © 2001 MaineToday Media, Inc. Inc.